Posted on 11/28/2005 11:50:36 AM PST by standingfirm
SAN DIEGO Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy and tax charges involving the sale of his home two years ago to a defense contractor at an inflated price.
Admitting to a judge that he took bribes, Cunningham entered pleas in U.S. District Court to charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud and tax evasion for underreporting his income in 2004.
Cunningham, 63, and his wife, Nancy, used the proceeds from the $1,675,000 sale to defense contractor Mitchell Wade to buy a $2.55 million mansion in ritzy Rancho Santa Fe. Wade put the Del Mar house back on the market and sold it after nearly a year for $975,000 a loss of $700,000.
Cunningham answered "yes, Your Honor" when asked by U.S. District Judge Larry Burns if he had accepted bribes from someone in exchange for his performance of official duties.
Cunningham, an eight-term congressman, announced in July that he wouldn't seek re-election next year. The former Vietnam War flying ace is known on Capitol Hill for his interest in defense issues and his occasional temperamental outbursts.
He drew little notice outside his San Diego-area district before the San Diego Union-Tribune reported last June that he'd sold the home to Wade
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Maybe but I don't believe you could bribe me just because I'm content with what I have and have never cared that much about money and I try to be honest.
Just another proof of P.J. O'Rourke's observation that "When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators."
He was a good drunk. No take that back, good drunks are fun to be around when they are drinking.
LOL!
A little advice from someone older who has been "tested". It's been said many times that we are all prostitutes, it's just a matter of price. That's not really true of all people.
If you tend to measure your self-worth in terms of dollars, processions accumulated, or comparisons with those who have more, you are susceptible. From that point it's just a question of being in the circumstances where someone makes the right offer. For a Congressman, it might be a six figure number --- for a truck driver, it might be 3 figures, but the acts are identical.
To stay true, find other means to measure your worth, be content to live with with what you have honestly earned, and be prepared to make do with much less if the need ever arises.
go directly to jail, do not pass go.
Politically correct or not I was thinking the same thing. I don't believe I've ever met a man as attuned to material possessions as a few of the women I know, including an ex-wife.
Certainly, anytime money is put in front of someone it is a huge test of will and principle.
There is more than money for an enticement. For some it is drugs, or women,etc. Or an offer they can't refuse like harm befalling them or their children, their wives or loved ones. -Tom
You aren't seriously excusing Cunningham, are you?
Your rationale could just as easily excuse BJ Clinton's dipping his wick. I say no matter who someone is, no matter what he's done in the past, no matter what temptations are "put in front" of them, if they yield to that temptation, if they sell their office, they're scumbags.
I think I said he was accepting the consequences - which include losing his seat, his honor, much of his wealth, respect he had spent years accumulating...
He is not getting off based on his apology - which is what Dems generally do.
He's getting a lighter sentence in the plea bargain, though. He only came clean because there was something in it for him.
Not much honor in that, only taking the consequences after they have you dead to rights. What are we to make of all his previous denials?
I'm shocked. I really thought Duke was one of the good guys. Sad, real sad.
Does he get to keep his Congressional pension?
Isn't that special. If the political affiliation of a crooked politician isn't mentioned in the MSM, we can always assume it's a Democrat. At least for this story Fox News has treated a Republican the same way. That's not "fair" nor is it "balanced". What's up with Fox?
ok......it should not cancel out his great achievements...but some on here and maybe not you want to give this guy forgiveness just cause he is on our side but not give the same consideration to the other side....standard hypocrisy in my book.....but I understand what YOU are saying.......
"...he was a good man"
Certainly he did good things for the country at a point in the past.
But at this point he is in fact a crook. Please don't even attempt to put lipstick on something grunting and rooting in the public trough.
Can we now admit that 90% of our Republican congressmen should be replaced by competent conservatives?
Does he get to keep his Congressional pension?
That's a great question. I'd love to know the answer.
I hope not. He earned enough from selling military contracts to unworthy companies, he shouldn't be allowed to keep profiting from the office that he sold.
Anybody know the general rules for Congressmen and their pensions? Can the House strip him of it?
I am not excusing anyone for taking a bribe. - Tom
Probably proud of it and just sorry he was caught.
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